Boys XC team keeps on shining

There’s a standard that’s been set inside Sauk Prairie’s boys cross country program. One of excellence and high quality. Sophomore Jack Boerger and the 2020 Eagles are living up to that — and then some. Boerger won a pair of races last week and helped Sauk Prairie shine. The Eagles defeated Portage in a dual meet, 22-34, on Sept. 29 and placed second at the four-team DeForest Quadrangular on Oct. 3. “The boys team has had a pretty good start to the season,” Eagles coach Andy Sherman said. “I like the continuation of living up to the standards that have been set for them. They understand what it takes and they have been able to execute, even in this bizarre season.” Not many are executing better than Boerger. In Sauk Prairie’s win over Portage, Boerger won the 5,000-meter race in 16 minutes, 57 seconds. He also set a personal-best time in that race. “His race at Portage was a new PR and one of our faster times in my years as head coach,” Sherman said. “He continues to learn and believe in himself, which is obviously allowing him to have a great season.” Eagles’ junior Ritchie Wolf was second (17:55), junior Dalton Zirbel was third (17:58), Jonah Richard was seventh (18:50) and senior Sam Beattie was ninth (19:21). In the DeForest Quad, the Norskies were first with 24 points, followed by Sauk Prairie (45), Madison Edgewood (62) and Beaver Dam (115). Boerger won his second race in four days, completing the course in 17:08. Wolff was sixth (18:16), Zirbel was eighth (18:24), Jay Dregney was 14th (18:44) and Beattie was 18th (19:17). “Ritchie Wolff and Dalton Zirbel continue to be our No. 2 and 3,” Sherman said. “They are both experienced and are having great seasons.” Sauk Prairie’s girls also won their dual meet with Portage, 26-31, on Sept. 29. Freshman Catherine Gregg won the race in 20:48, while junior Kassia Marquardt was fourth (22:10). Junior Meadow Liedtke was fifth (22:13), freshman Lexi Been was seventh (22:32) and senior Cassie Radl was ninth (23:55). Sauk Prairie was also third at the DeForest Quad on Oct. 3. Beaver Dam won the meet with 27 points, followed by DeForest (55), Sauk Prairie (68) and Madison Edgewood (72). Gregg was third overall in 21:11, while Marquardt was seventh (22:05), Been was 17th (22:52), Liedtke was 18th (22:56) and Marissa Howard was 24th (23:36). “The girls continue to be led by Catherine Gregg,” Sherman said. “As a freshman, she has had a great season. She has been able to learn a lot, but now we are going to work on some strategy within her race to help her improve even more and help her build to a great finish for the season. “The girls have been getting good performances from Kassia Marquardt, Meadow Liedtke, Lexi Been, Cassie Radl and Natalie Curtis. The team continues to get better each and every week, which is what we are hoping for at this point of the season. I look forward to seeing how our girls are able to finish out the season as they keep improving.”   Boys cross country Sept. 29 SAUK PRAIRIE 22, PORTAGE 34 Sauk Prairie: 1, Boerger 16:57; 2, Wolff 17:55; 3, Zirbel 17:58; 7, Richard 18:50; 9, Beattie 19:21. Portage: 4, Saloun 18:34; 5, Goldthorpe 18:45; 6, Fimreite 18:49; 8, Pease 19:05; 11, Cole 19:43.  At Wyona Park, Portage, 5,000 meters.   Oct. 3 DeFOREST QUAD Team scores: DeForest 24; Sauk Prairie 45; Madison Edgewood 62; Beaver Dam 115. DeForest: 2, I. Bauer 17:17; 3, Grabowski 17:36; 4, E. Bauer 17:40; 5, Ekezie 18:09; 10, Vander Meer 18:33.  Sauk Prairie: 1, Boerger 17:08; 6, Wolff 18:16; 8, Zirbel 18:24; 14, Dregney 18:44; 18, Beattie 19:17. Madison Edgewood: 7, Schleck 18:23; 9, Rosemurgy 18:30; 13, Linderoth 18:41; 17, Kuhn 19:12; 20, Rossow 19:28.  Beaver Dam: 19, Damon 19:20; 29, Titus 20:06; 36, Gochenaur 21:23; 37, Johnson 21:24; 39, Gremminger 21:36.  At Windsor Sports Complex, 5,000 meters.   Girls cross country Sept. 29 SAUK PRAIRIE 26, PORTAGE 31 Sauk Prairie: 1, Gregg 20:48; 4, Marquardt 22:10; 5, Liedtke 22:13; 7, Been 22:32; 9, Radl 23:55.  Portage: 2, Goldthorpe 21:56; 3, Shortreed 21:56; 6, Babcock 22:16; 8, Blau 22:58; 13, Woodhouse 39:13.  At Wyona Park, Portage, 5,000 meters.   Oct. 3 DeFOREST QUAD Team scores: Beaver Dam 27; DeForest 55; Sauk Prairie 68; Madison Edgewood 72. Beaver Dam: 1, Hackbarth 20:02; 4, Gritzmacher 21:37; 5, Hallman 22:01; 6, R. Czarnecki 22:02; 11, Burchardt 22:31.  DeForest: 2, Peters 21:01; 9, Snow 22:30; 10, Bauer 22:31; 15, Bodden 22:45; 19, Oberg 22:57. Sauk Prairie: 3, Gregg 21:11; 7, Marquardt 22:05; 17, Been 22:52; 18, Liedtke 22:56; 24, Howard 23:36.  Madison Edgewood: 8, Cataldo 22:13; 12, Koskinen 22:35; 14, Powless 22:44; 16, Gorman 22:48; 23, Nemeth 23:34.  At Windsor Sports Complex, 5,000 meters.